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UVA Health announced its three community medical centers in Culpeper, Haymarket, and Prince William received ‘A’ grades for The Leapfrog Group’s fall 2024 Hospital Safety Grade. 

Fall 2024 marks the 13th consecutive grading period for UVA Health Haymarket Medical Center and UVA Health Prince William Medical Center to receive the ‘A’ grade and the third consecutive grading period for UVA Health Culpeper Medical Center. Less than 30% of hospitals nationwide achieved a Grade ‘A’ in fall 2024. 

“I am proud to once again recognize the dedication and hard work of our exceptional healthcare team, whose commitment to meeting the needs of our communities while prioritizing patient safety is unwavering,” said Erik Shannon chief executive officer of UVA Health’s community medical centers and clinics in northern Virginia and Culpeper. “Quality and patient safety are central to our 10-year strategic plan and guide us on delivering a positive patient experience. Our extraordinary team exemplifies dedication to a culture of safety and continuous improvement, ensuring the highest standards of care for everyone, every day.” 

The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade is assigned by the Leapfrog Group, an independent national watchdog organization. The Safety Grade assigns an ‘A,’ ‘B,’ ‘C,’ ‘D,’ or ‘F’ grade to hospitals across the country based on over thirty national performance measures reflecting errors, accidents, injuries, and infections, as well as systems hospitals have in place to prevent harm. The grade of “A” is awarded to hospitals that excel in twenty-two evidence-based measures and by actively protecting patients from harm and improving outcomes such as reduced length of stay and mortality rates. 

The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade is the only hospital ratings program based exclusively on hospital prevention of medical errors and harm to patients. The grading system is peer-reviewed, fully transparent, and free to the public. Grades are updated twice annually, in the fall and spring. 

“Achieving an ‘A’ Hospital Safety Grade is a significant accomplishment for all three community medical centers,” said Leah Binder, president and chief executive officer of The Leapfrog Group. “It reflects enormous dedication to your patients and their families, and your whole community should be proud. I extend my congratulations to UVA Health Culpeper, Haymarket, and Prince William Medical Centers, its leadership, clinicians, staff and volunteers for their tireless efforts to put patients first.” 

All three UVA Health community medical centers are also accredited by The Joint Commission, which requires an extensive triennial review of hospital safety and quality practices. This includes general care practices as well as outcomes like preventable hospital-acquired infections. The medical centers maintain a focus on safety and quality metrics at all times, even in the years of a pandemic, during seasonal surges, during supply shortages, and other challenges faced by hospitals. For example, Haymarket Medical Center has had zero CMS-reportable Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infections (CAUTIs) since its opening in 2014. This remarkable accomplishment highlights the commitment to excellence in infection prevention, as well as the dedication of the clinical staff in implementing best practices for patient care that led to recognition by The Leapfrog Group and others. 

To view full grade details for UVA Health community medical centers in Culpeper, Haymarket, and Manassas and to access patient tips for staying safe in the hospital, visit HospitalSafetyGrade.org and follow The Leapfrog Group on Twitter, Facebook, and via its newsletter.